FINANCIAL DISTRICT — The owner of a Fulton Street newsstand was robbed at gunpoint last week, just minutes before closing up shop, police said.
A man wearing a gray hoodie shoved a black gun into the 33-year-old newsstand owner’s face about 1 a.m Aug. 8 and demanded, “Give me the money,” according to police reports.
“He was scared for his life,” said Mohammed Ali, a worker at the 50 Fulton St. stand. “It was bad, very bad.”
The $1,500 police said the thief stole was a big hit to the business, Ali added.
“We have to pay for that out of out pockets," he said.
Ali, who's worked at the stand for three years, said they were also robbed a few months ago — someone broke into the shop when it was closed and stole a couple of hundred dollars.
"This area is very, very quiet when it gets dark," Ali said. "We need more security cameras on this block."
Police were still investigating the crime as of Tuesday.
Other notable crimes in this week's NYPD blotter in the 1st Precinct include:
— More than $1,600 was stolen from a yoga studio at 121 Fulton St. on Aug. 9, police said — without any signs of forced entry. An owner of Bikram Yoga Downtown NY told police that the $1,623 was stolen from the studio's petty cash and a night deposit box. Eight employees and four former employees have keys, police said.
— A $15,000 Yamaha motorcycle parked outside of 325 North End Ave. was stolen on Aug. 6, police said. The 40-year-old owner of the gray bike told police he had parked the motorcycle on the street, and when he returned several hours later, it was gone.
— A robber stole $70 from Q Cigars at 166 Church St. about 11 p.m. on Aug. 9, police said. The cigar shop employee told police that the thief asked her if they sold cigars as he passed her a handwritten note that read, “This is a robbery give me all your money you have.” She gave him the $70 and he ran out.
— A man had his Galaxy S4 snatched from his hands as he walked along Franklin Street about 10 a.m. Aug. 9, police said. The alleged thief told the man “give me your money and cell phone and I have a gun in my pocket," while simulating that he had a weapon, police said. The robber grabbed the victim's phone and fled down the street.
— An 18-year-old had her $910 Gucci handbag stolen as she dined out at the Pacific Grill, a restaurant on the South Street Seaport’s Pier 17. The young woman told officers she left the bag, which also contained a $350 Kate Spade wallet and Galaxy S4 phone, at her feet while she ate at the restaurant about 11 p.m. Aug. 9. But when she looked down after about 30 minutes, the bag was missing.
